Final Four

Final Four Contenders

The NCAA season is in full swing as the contenders begin to separate from the pretenders, teams are beginning to realize their full potential, and some teams are just in quite a funk. These teams, on this list, may have the most talent as well as having players that play unselfishly. They each have the same goal that is to win a national championship. All of these teams will not make it to the Final Four, but they each have a shot if they handle their business. Of course, injuries, bad games, or miracles - by the other team- can knock these teams out of the tournament. However, in a perfect world these teams would have legitimate chances at punching their tickets to the Final Four.

Syracuse

The Orangemen are undefeated, thus far, as they are led by CJ Fair, Jerami Grant, and freshman guard Tyler Ennis. Syracuse has made a smooth transition from the Big East to the ACC despite a couple scares here and there. Anytime they face adversity during a game, coach Jim Boeheim settles his group down and gets them to play the way he wants them to. Also, what makes it tough when teams play Syracuse is their ability to pressure ball handlers. Boeheim likes to run a full court press zone to cause turnovers and disrupt the other team's rhythm. If Syracuse finishes the season strong and has good play during the ACC tournament, I look for them to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament like last year.

Wichita State

The "Cinderella" darlings from a year ago have not lost a game since their Final Four loss to Louisville. Gregg Marshall did not like the idea of his team being tabbed with that label. However, during the tournament, his team began to shed that label. Marshall is slowly turning his program into the modern day Gonzaga, VCU, and Butlers of the world. The Shockers are led by, NBA prospects, Fred VanVleet and Cleanthony Early. Another key player is Ron Baker as he can certainly light it up at times. Playing against subpar talent in the Missouri Valley Conference, Marshall is probably finding different ways to motivate his players in a lackluster conference. One thing is for sure, Wichita State is a top five team and likely to finish the regular season in the top five. Any team that takes them lightly will be "shocked" plain and simple.

Arizona

The desert has not received this much national buzz since hall of fame coach Lute Olsen was running the show. This is probably the most complete and deepest basketball team on this list. They have multiple players that can have big time performances so their margin for error is a wide margin. They have Nick Johnson, Aaron Gordon, Brandon Ashley, TJ McConell, Kaleb Tarczewski, Gabe York, and others. Head coach Sean Miller does a great job getting this group to play unselfishly and it starts with their leader Johnson. Arizona is also the most exciting team in the country as they throw dubious amounts of lobs. They boast big wins against San Diego State, at Michigan, and against Duke on a neutral site. The Wildcats have yet to be tested in the Pac-12, but it is hard to see them going unblemished in conference play. UCLA, Oregon, and Cal will give them their best games. Having a seven footer in Tarczewski can be key to Arizona's title hopes.

Kansas

On paper, Kansas is one of the most talented teams in all of college basketball. Andrew Wiggins is more assertive and aggressive on the offensive end. Joel Embiid plays with a certain nastiness and toughness that they need from a center. Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden are the two glue players that a coach needs in his lineup to make a run. The only thing that can stop the Jayhawks is themselves. If Wiggins gets comfortable shooting jumpers, Bill Self's group will experience an early exit in the NCAA tournament. Like Arizona's Tarczewski, Embiid is pivotal to his team's success as a seven foot rim protector.

Michigan State

The Spartans seem to be reeling right now as they look like the college version of the Chicago Bulls. As a result, you can say Tom Izzo is doing his best impersonation of Tom Thibodeau. Izzo has had players go in and out of his lineup all season with Branden Dawson and Adreian Payne being the most notable. Michigan State is a tough group though as they continue to play quality basketball. Gary Harris and Keith Appling continue to carry the load for this injury ridden basketball team. When the Spartans get all of their players healthy, this team has enough talent to get to the Final Four. With Izzo at the helm, they have enough talent to win it all. Another key component for this team is: How much of an issue is Appling's hand injury? The NCAA tournament is designed for elite guards to take over so this team cannot afford to lose a player of Appling's caliber.

Florida

Look regardless of if Chris Walker is named eligible or ineligible for the season, Florida is still a talented basketball club. It is really hard to pinpoint who is the MVG of this team. MVG meaning the Most Valuable Gator. This team is led by four seniors in Scottie Wilbekin, Patric Young, Will Yeguete, and  Casey Prather. Billy Donovan's team plays air tight defense and plays efficiently on offense. This might be Donovan's worst 3-point shooting team in the last couple years, but Michael Frazier has no problem assuming that duty. The Gators seniors have been to three straight Elite 8s and want to finally get over the hump. This group looks hungry and is as hot as anyone in the country. They still have two games against Kentucky to see if they are for real and a possible third meeting if they meet in the SEC tourney. Regardless of what happens in those matchups, Donovan and his seniors experience is something they can rely on when they experience adversity.

Duke

Jabari Parker and Duke have regained their swagger during the most critical juncture in the season. There was a point where Parker and Duke were heading south, but it is hard to keep going south with a hall of fame coach like Mike Krzyzewski. Parker might be the most important player for the Blue Devils, but Quinn Cook, Rodney Hood, Rasheed Sulaimon, and Amile Jefferson are key pieces. Coach K has managed to get his team focused and play unselfish basketball. He also does a good job of making sure everyone stays within their role. Jefferson is a perfect example of that as he rebounds and plays with a high motor. If Duke can continue their unselfish play, this group will make a run at a Final Four bid.

San Diego State

Head coach Steve Fisher's Aztecs do not have a star player. This scrappy group of gym rats plays cohesively as a team and epitomizes their coach's personality. They are led by Xavier Thames and the lanky Winston Shepard as they play tough defense and look to attack the paint. They have signature wins over Creighton, Marquette, and Kansas. The only blemish on their record is a nine point loss to Arizona. The Aztecs struggle with scoring at times because they are an athletic group who relies on its defense to get easy buckets. A few reasons why I like this ball club is because they are led by a fifth year senior in Thames, they play 40 minutes of intense basketball, and they can win ugly games.

Power Outage

Power Outage

Following the AFC Divisional Round loss to their rival, the San Diego Chargers is a team that, many would say, overachieved. They overachieved on both sides of the ball starting with their charismatic leader Philip Rivers. Rivers experienced a rebirth under first year head coach Mike McCoy, offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, and quarterbacks coach Frank Reich. The Chargers ran more of an uptempo, yet time consuming, no huddle offense. The Chargers had one of the best offensive units thanks to players like Keenan Allen, Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead, Ledarius Green, and Antonio Gates. They also found some stability in a shaky offensive line with players like DJ Fluker and Nick Hardwick being the anchors along the line. On defense, John Pagano did an admirable job calling plays and making sure that defense got hot during the right time. The defense struggled early on, but Eric Weddle and Donald Butler got that group of 11 guys to play cohesively as they began to force turnovers and cause sacks. 

There are a lot of areas that need to be addressed for this Chargers organization during this upcoming offseason. They have to get more stability along the offensive line through the draft or free agency. San Diego has to find another playmaker to play opposite of Keenan Allen. They can wait and see if Danario Alexander and Malcom Floyd can be of service to them coming off season ending injuries. The Chargers have to find a pass rusher opposite of Melvin Ingram and get some help in that secondary while finding a way to keep Butler at linebacker. This team has a lot of needs and it will be interesting to see how owner Alex Spanos and general manager Tom Telesco handle them.

On a positive note, San Diego was one of the big surprises of the NFL season. They went from a, dead in the water, 5-7 record to a 9-7 playoff team. They had some bad losses early on against Houston, Tennessee, Washington, and Oakland. Three out of those four losses were close games and could have been due to McCoy trying to find his way as a first time NFL head coach. He helped revive the careers of Rivers and Mathews while making sure the Chargers never quit. Sunday's final game against Denver epitomized that never quit mentality. The Chargers accomplished a lot this season and have to be happy, but they cannot become complacent with this year's success. They have to find a way to improve on both sides of the ball and take that next step. Especially, with an aging quarterback in Rivers.

Helmet To Helmet

Paying the Price

 

 The NFL legally banned helmet-to-helmet contact between 2009-2010. Players that tackle opposing players with helmet-to-helmet contact are heavily fined in today's game. Multiple offenders that break this rule are either fined heavily or suspended from their next game. Players fined for violating this rule include Vontaze Burfict, Tramon Williams, Dashon Goldson, Donte "Hitner" Whitner, Brandon Meriweather, and the list goes on. These players received fines ranging from $21,000 to $100,000 and some of them were suspended as well. The result of this rule has led to zero tolerance regarding the rule, fewer concussions, and a higher rate of lower body hits. These lower body hits bring up an interesting question: Would a player rather have a concussion or a severe lower body injury?

A concussion can be a momentary head injury and, in worst cases, sideline a player for weeks. This injury is a lot easier to bounce back from as opposed to a severe lower body injury like a ACL, MCL, PCL, leg, or foot injury. If a player wants to have a long career in the NFL, he will need a healthy body, but specially a healthy lower body. NFL players have to cut, tackle, block, throw, and make acrobatic catches during games. All of those skills require some strong legs. When a defender is running at full speed, lower body health can become a serious concern because players are being hit in their legs. I am not pleading for the NFL or any level of football to allow helmet to helmet contact, but I think most players rather be hit in the upper body. A concussion can lead to health problems that occur later in a player's life. Let's be honest, these players are not thinking about their long-term health. They want to stay on the field and make as much money as they can.

Concussions and lower body health problems are serious matters at hand. I think if lower body injuries continue to proliferate we could see this rule begin to go away. On the other hand, concussions are not anything to snub our nose at, so we may see the league look to implement a "hitting zone". I do not see this rule beginning anytime soon. The NFL is in a tough situation right now, so it's safe to say there is no explicit answer. So who's really paying for the damages the NFL or the players being fined and injured?

WRs

Top 10 First and Second Year Receivers

Playing receiver in the NFL can be really tough. A receiver can have a tremendous amount of speed, but if he cannot catch the ball he will not last too long in the league. A receiver can have the ability to catch the ball, but if he cannot score or pick up extra yardage he will not last long. The days of receivers like Joe Jurevicius are long gone. Size and speed are only part of the equation, as the NFL is in high demand for game changing pass catchers. This position can be really tough to play and it used to take three years for a young receiver to be ready to play. Now, these receivers come into the league ready to take flight. Here's a look at the top first and second year receivers.

 

Honorable Mentions: Tavon Austin, Kenny Stills, Rod Streater

 

10. Terrance Williams

 

  

Terrance Williams benefited from an injured Miles Austin as he racked up five touchdowns on big plays. Now that Austin is back, the Cowboys seem to have forgotten about the big-play ability of Williams. He is a perfect complimentary receiver to Dez Bryant as he has recorded 531 yards with five touchdowns. Being surrounded by veterans like Austin, Bryant, Tony Romo and Jason Witten will help him polish his game as he progresses.

9. Reuben Randle

 

Reuben Randle is dynamic when Eli Manning has time to throw the ball. He is usually the third or fourth option in a New York offense that consists of Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and even Brandon Myers. Randle lacks consistency as he has games where he eclipses 100 yards and others where he disappears like Houdini. He does lead the Giants with six touchdowns.

8. Deandre Hopkins

 

Deandre Hopkins was exactly what the Houston Texans could ask for in a receiver playing opposite of Andre Johnson. Despite the disappointing play of the team, Hopkins has had games where he has been extremely difficult to cover. He is extremely fluid in running his routes, which makes it easy for him to catch passes. Not to mention, he can take a crossing route for 20-30 yards. So far he has 41 catches for 631 yards and two touchdowns.

7. Kendall Wright 

 

Kendall Wright was known as a deep-threat coming out of Baylor in 2012. However, in Tennessee, Wright has been Mr. Reliable, as he always seems to come up with a huge catch for a first down. Wright catches a lot of underneath routes and keeps the chains moving, but he has the ability to sneak behind the secondary with his deceptive speed. He leads the Titans passing attack with 71 catches for 840 yards and two touchdowns.

6. T.Y. Hilton

 

T.Y. Hilton came on strong during his rookie year in 2012. Hilton has not missed a beat in 2013 with 791 yards and five touchdowns. He has games where he can just light a defense up. Then, he has games where he leaves you waiting for him to show up and make a big play. He is clearly the number one target for Andrew Luck in the Colts offense as Reggie Wayne is done for the year. Nine times out of ten the Colts will win their games based on the production of Hilton. 

5. Michael Floyd

 

Michael Floyd, like Hopkins, excels as a receiver because of Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is the primary focus of defenses, as he should be, while Floyd is able to roam free in the secondary. At times, Floyd has been the receiver to keep the Arizona Cardinals offense moving. Floyd leads the Cardinals with 860 yards, 54 catches, and four touchdowns. A lot of people had Floyd graded higher than the next receiver on this list coming out of college, but Floyd has been able to produce. 

4. Justin Blackmon

Justin Blackmon is easily the top receiver on this list if he avoids using drugs. Since coming out of Oklahoma State, Blackmon has had numerous off the field incidents. Some people in Jacksonville question his work ethic as well. When on the field, he is a mercurial threat as he can easily catch the ball for 100 yards. He had a 200-yard performance early in the year as he carved up Denver. Then, he was suspended for breaking the substance abuse policy AGAIN. Blackmon's days in Jacksonville may be numbered as a new regime took the office during the offseason. One more off the field incident and he may not be a Jaguar anymore.

3. Keenan Allen 

 

In hindsight, it is easy to say Keenan Allen has been the steal of the 2013 draft. The Chargers drafted him and could not be happier. It is still early, but Allen is probably making some general managers around the league scratch their head's because they missed this guy. Allen has posted 843 yards on 58 catches with three touchdowns. He has often been compared to Anquan Boldin because of his lack of speed, route running ability, and exceptional hands. Allen has a certain swagger about himself, as he loves playing against corners that press him at the line of scrimmage. He will also let a defensive back know how he feels after he catches a pass on them. If Allen can keep his superb play up, he should receive rookie of the year and a trip to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl.

2. Alshon Jeffery

 

 

 

 

Guess who has the most yards at receiver for the Chicago Bears. I will give you a hint: It's not Brandon Marshall. Alshon Jeffery leads the Bears with 1,109 yards, five touchdowns, and a staggering 15.8 yards per catch average. It took him a year to get situated in Chicago, but in his second year he has shown the ability to be the primary receiver. How can anyone stick this guy? He is 6'3 and has speed for his size. It probably does not hurt to get to practice against two of the best corners in the league in Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman.
 

1. Josh Gordon 

 

To a certain extent Jeffery and Josh Gordon are interchangeable in regards to the top spot on this list. Gordon has produced 1,249 yards, seven touchdowns, and 19.2 yards per catch. You can even argue Gordon has had more success than Jeffery with less than stellar quarterbacks. You can even say Gordon has been more productive with virtually no one else around him on offense that can deflect some attention from him. This is why Gordon is on the top of the list because he is the Browns offense. If Cleveland did not have him, they would be better off starting guys from defense on offense.

Panthers

Carolina Panthers: Super Bowl Contenders

After losing three of their first four games, Carolina has been red hot as they have won six games in a row. The Panthers have caught the attention of many football experts, but not one has mentioned them as a Super Bowl contender.

Cam Newton has experienced plenty of ups and downs in his short tenure as the Carolina quarterback. He has always been a joy to watch, but when his team would face adversity he seemed to deflect any responsibility. His stats would be mind-boggling, but the Panthers would lose games. This season Newton seems to have gotten a better grasp of the offense and becoming more of a leader. During his team's winning streak, he has thrown for ten touchdowns, rushed for three more, and only thrown three picks. I believe he has developed confidence in his team's defense led by Luke Kuechly.

The defense has been lights out as they are ranked first in points per game, fifth in passing yards, eighth in rushing yards, and third in turnovers. This unit plays smash mouth defense as they look to shut you down. They have Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy who have 14 sacks combined. Star Lotulelei opens gaps and allows Kuechly and Thomas Davis to stuff the run. Mike Mitchell, following the loss of Charles Godfrey, anchors their secondary.
 

This Panthers team has it clicking on all cylinders, but gets left out of Super Bowl contender discussions. San Francisco, Seattle, and Kansas City have all been mentioned in various Super Bowl scenarios. Carolina is the same as each of those three teams. They each possess a quarterback who is efficient, they love to run the ball, and they have game-changing defenses. A couple years ago, the New York Jets nearly went to the Super Bowl twice as they possessed those same qualities. If Carolina is not a Super Bowl contender, they should at least be taken very seriously. In the playoffs, no team wants to have to play this hard-nosed team led by a 6'5 250 lb behemoth.

Crimson Tide

Who Will Stop the Tide?

Alabama has beaten Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, and other teams that have stood in their way. The Crimson Tide looks like they are going to win their third national championship in as many years. If they are going to win it all, they will have to finish the season against a hellacious schedule consisting of definite and indefinite opponents. They should win a laugher against Chattanooga, but things get real interesting after that game. Today, we take a look at teams that have the best chances of knocking off the back-to-back defending champs.

 

Auburn gets their shot against Alabama in the Iron Bowl on their home turf in a couple weeks. Auburn has regained their swagger under head coach Gus Malzahn. They are led by, the SEC’s leading rusher, Tre Mason as well as dual-threat quarterback Nick Marshall. In addition, Auburn has one of the best defenses in the SEC. This game will put the winner in the driver seat to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game. Also, the team will have a chance to play for a national championship. Did I mention that this was a rivalry game? 

 

 

Missouri will play in the conference’s championship game against Alabama if they win their last two games. Under Gary Pinkel, Missouri has been nothing short of a revelation this year. The big concern for this team is: Will quarterback James Franklin be healthy enough to play? Maty Mauk has shown he can play despite being a true freshman in the absence of Franklin. He has big play receivers in L’Damian Washington and Dorial Green-Beckham. The Tigers defense is nothing to snub your nose at either. South Carolina will be the team to take Missouri’s spot to play Alabama because they beat them head to head. The Gamecocks have more than Jadeveon Clowney as they have one of the top running backs in the SEC in Mike Davis. Connor Shaw’s ability to run at quarterback can provide headaches as well.

 

 

Florida State has looked like the best team in the NCAA at times. They have a Heisman hopeful quarterback in Jameis Winston and two good running backs in James Wilder Jr. and Devonta Freenman. They also have four or five guys that are game-breakers at wide receiver. Florida State’s defense will be key because they can cause turnovers led by Telvin Smith. This is the match up many college spectators want to see. Baylor can be the “Cinderella” of college football if they win out of the Big 12. Bryce Petty, like Winston, is a Heisman hopeful and he has Lache Seastrunk to run the ball. The Bears also have one of the most explosive receivers in college in Antwan Goodley. Baylor is a long shot to make it to Pasadena, but they are ranked third in the nation. If one of these two teams can run the table, they may have something to do with “stopping” the Crimson Tide of Alabama.

Cornerbacks

Golden Age for Cornerbacks

 One of the toughest positions to play in the National Football League: cornerback. You can have two interceptions in a game, but if you get scored on in the game’s pivotal moment you are viewed as a goat. It is hard to consistently be great at this position because at some point a corner will lose his step. Today, we take a look at the NFL’s top cornerbacks. It is hard to rank these guys because they play in different defensive schemes.

 Richard Sherman

Sherman is a feisty corner that will smother an opponent’s top receiver and let them know how great he is. He is the biggest corner on this list as he is 6’3. His long arms allow him to poke the ball out of receiver’s hands as they attempt to catch it. Although he does not possess the speed needed at corner, he is fundamentally sound and physical enough to irritate wide receivers. Sherman is the heart of that Seattle defense and the voice of that locker room.

Brandon Carr 

Carr is very fluid in his approach at corner and is good enough to play man or zone. He is easily forgotten because he is on the same unit with Sean Lee and Demarcus Ware. He does not get the recognition as some of these guys on this list because of the Cowboys suspect defense. With a good pass rush, Carr is an All-Pro caliber corner.

 Aqib Talib

 

Talib never quite lived up to the expectations set for him in Tampa Bay especially with the off the field incidents he faced. However, he has revived his career in New England as he has shown the ability to shut down top receivers and tight ends. He has always flown under the radar back to his days as a Jayhawk at Kansas as well as the injuries he constantly experiences. He is not the flashiest guy on this list, but he will make sure opposing receivers have career low numbers.

 Joe Haden

Joe who? Haden. Haden is probably the least physical corner on this list, but his speed allows him to be the shadow of pass catchers. He is quietly one of the top corners because he plays for the Cleveland Browns. When teams play against the “Dawg Pound”, Haden tends to make quarterbacks throw the other way. Otherwise, Haden is high stepping into your favorite team’s end zone.

Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings

Tillman and Jennings is quite the combo at cornerback. Tillman is physical and the enforcer of the Bears secondary, while Jennings seems to have an interception every game. Tillman is like the Tim Duncan of cornerbacks because he is so fundamentally sound. He might have extended his career with the skills he has such as: making tackles, forcing fumbles, and intercepting passes. Did I mention Tillman was 32? Jennings is barely 5’8, but he is as quick as a cat. When offenses play Chicago, they have to pick their poison with these guys waiting in the wings.  

Deangelo Hall 

 

Hall still possesses the flat line speed he had when he first came into the league out of Virginia Tech. He still strikes fear into quarterbacks because of his ability to intercept a pass and change a game.  Hall bounced from Atlanta, to Oakland, and is now in Washington with that same IMO. He is not a lockdown corner, but he can occasionally blanket top receivers.      

 

Darrelle Revis 

 Revis is not 100% healthy coming off an ACL injury in 2012. He is still one of the top corners in the game. He has never been an interception artist because offensive coordinators would rather not design plays to throw at Revis. He is everything a coach could want in a cornerback, as he possesses size, speed, the ability to come up and defend the run, instincts, etc. Revis makes teammates on defense and the defensive coordinator’s job a lot easier. On the contrary, he disrupts the flow of opposing teams. When healthy, he is the closest cornerback to Deion Sanders. Basically, Revis has a spot in Canton, Ohio waiting for his face to be enshrined.

Patrick Peterson 

Peterson is often compared to Revis and Sanders because of how smooth he is at corner. He looks forward to playing man on man coverage every Sunday. It does not matter if he is facing Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, or some rookie because he loves to compete. He has all the qualities Revis possesses and should be a future hall of famer as well.